| Tanya Tyree |
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| New Raku Kiln built at my new studio in Afton, VA. Now I have a covered area to raku fire and a pulley system so I can fire by myself in the rain if necessary. Yeah!!! |
| About Raku Raku is an ancient Japanese firing method that involves firing pieces in a kiln, removing them when the glazes have melted and the pieces are red hot, and reducing them in combustible materials. Raku is usually recognizable by it's blackened clay body, copper blooms and or crackle glazes. |
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| 1. The glazed pieces are loaded in the raku kiln. I usually fire 4 pieces ranging in sizes from large to small. |
| 2. The kiln is fired with a venturi gas burner. The kiln is heated from 1800F to 2000F. The weather affects the firings as the temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure affect the process. |
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| Once the desired temperature is achieved the kiln top is lifted from the base. I wear small gloves under welding gloves when I remove the pieces from the kiln. The pieces are lifted with tongues or extra gloves and placed in metal cans. Leaves and sawdust are placed on the red hot pieces causing the leaves to ingnite and burn. The cans are covered with lids to create a reduction atmosphere. By cutting off the oxygen supply to the fire and reducing the ceramic ware, the glazes obtain variations that are unobtainable without this process. The reduction creates dramatic effects in the work including copper reds, colorful blooms, a blackened clay body, crackle glazes and other glaze variations. Each piece is unique and a true gift from nature. |
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